Wednesday morning, April 16, 2025

We were able to get back into some fields Monday and yesterday to apply some preplant NH3.  This is the main nitrogen source for our corn crop.  We were only able to use the smaller rig on the 8R340… the 9520R tractor- applicator-and double-tank NH3 supply is so very heavy, that it requires a bit drier soils to pull across the field.  Brandon had a good day Monday, a bigger day on Tuesday, and we hope John can join him today.  We still have flooding across our fields near White River, but that continues to recede.  I’m not optimistic that we will do much down there before May.

Brandon getting started Monday morning

Because it was so windy yesterday, I spent the afternoon in the Gator, burning piled up cornstalks that were floated into windrows in the recent flooding in creek bottom fields.  The worst was at Waldo, Cox, and the Pond.  I had some pretty good flames going yesterday, but it was never out of control.  It is necessary to burn those strips of piled-up stalks, because it makes such a heavy mulch, that the soil underneath never dries out.   After the burning, it will dry down like the rest of the field.

One of the fires yesterday at the Waldo farm

I think I can return to the R4044 sprayer today… the winds are predicted to be light.  I was able to get that started Monday afternoon, and it felt good to get going. When the winds are above 15 and 20 mph like yesterday, I hesitate to spray.  But I should be able to make some progress today, applying the preplant burndown herbicide to soybean fields.  That’s the plan for today anyway.

Right now, it feels like we are making “baby steps” of progress… not huge acres each day, but we are making progress just the same.   I saw a planter going in the neighborhood this morning.  I hope I can get to that sometime next week!

Looking out the office window this morning, Brandon is fueling up for a big day.

Have a good Wednesday!